PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Azriel Genack, Distinguished Professor of Physics and Chair of CUNY Alliance for Inclusion at City University of New York (CUNY)
4:29:25
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93 sec
Azriel Genack, Chair of the CUNY Alliance for Inclusion and Distinguished Professor of Physics at Queens College, addressed the committee regarding antisemitism and academic freedom at CUNY. He emphasized the need for fact-based discussions, opposed boycotts against Israel, and called for CUNY to teach open discussions supported by facts.
- Advocated for ensuring all groups are included and respected at CUNY
- Criticized the view that academic freedom justifies boycotting Israel or bringing hatred of Israel into classrooms
- Suggested implementing a freshman year initiative to teach students how to engage in open, fact-based discussions
- Called for council members to help keep CUNY a vital and open university
Azriel Genack
4:29:25
Okay.
4:29:25
Thank you, Jared Dinowitz and members of the committee for holding this important meeting.
4:29:30
My name is Azrael Ganak, and I'm the chair of the CUNY Alliance for Inclusion and a distinguished professor of physics at Queens College.
4:29:40
Our group works to ensure that all groups are included and respected at CUNY and that discussions are based on fact and not unplugged in wistful ideological certainties that place Israel at the center of the evil of the world.
4:29:55
CUNY is the people's university and should elevate students to achieve great things within the fabric of American democracy, not to tear it apart using the tool of anti semitism.
4:30:07
We oppose the oxymoronic view that academic freedom means boycotting Israel and that bringing hatred of Israel into the classroom in any course in the humanities and social sciences is a faculty prerogative.
4:30:21
Academic freedom is built upon academic responsibility.
4:30:25
A way needs to be found by which antipathy to Israel is not a litmus test for being hired in the humanities and social sciences at CUNY.
4:30:34
CUNY needs to teach students how to engage in open discussions in which arguments are supported by facts.
4:30:41
This can be part of a freshman year initiative.
4:30:44
We seek to work with the CUNY administration and hope that at some point the key the chancellor will respond to our letters.
4:30:52
We therefore look to you to keep CUNY a vital and open university.
4:30:57
Thank you.
